OSU Organic Farm Invites Public to Earth Day Celebration

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The public is invited to enjoy free food and live music at the seventh annual Earth Day Hoo Haa on a student-run organic farm on the outskirts of Corvallis on April 22.

The festivities, sponsored by Oregon State University's Organic Growers Club, will take place from 3-7 p.m.

Attendees are welcome to bring a turning fork to help till the ground and plant beets, turnips, greens and 10,000 onions. During the event, they'll be able to tour the farm, check out an electric tractor, and get tips from OSU Extension agent Janice Gregg on how to preserve food. They'll also have the opportunity to listen to music and poetry, decorate squares for a quilt, and see how chickens in mobile coops are used to till the earth.

"Everybody is into chickens these days," said the club's faculty adviser, James Cassidy. “We hope people can learn from our efforts as well as share their own experiences with raising them in backyards.”

Returning for its fourth year, Corvallis band Future Roots will provide musical entertainment with its mix of jam rock, folk rock, reggae, blues and bluegrass.

For dinner, three types of beans with rice will be served, and people are invited to bring their own hot sauces to share. They're also encouraged to bring their own bowl and silverware but to leave their dogs at home.

A free shuttle van to the farm will depart from the OSU Bookstore every 15 minutes. To drive to the farm, take state Route 34 east after crossing the Willamette River, then turn left onto an unnamed dirt road after the Trysting Tree Golf Club.

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